


The Mommy Question

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, Family, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-17
Updated: 2012-04-17
Packaged: 2017-11-03 20:24:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/385563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was hard to hear him talking about new Mommy, as if you just went to a store and exchanged the old model.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mommy Question

“Daddy?”

“Yeah buddy?”

“I can ask you anything right?” 

“Of course you can.”

“I was just wondering about some stuff.”

“It’s alright Jack, you don’t have to explain. I brought you out here to breathe, to talk, and to enjoy ourselves. You're having fun right?”

“Yeah.” Jack nodded.

Hotch drove his son three and a half hours from their home in Alexandria to Lake Moomaw in Alleghany County. It had some of the best trout fishing in the state; the best fishing period. Jack was seven and had only been on two fishing trips in his life. His father thought it was time to rectify that. When Hotch was a little boy, Grandpa Deveraux would always take him fishing during the spring and summer. They were some of his fondest memories. 

Grandpa said on the water everything was alright. Hotch wasn’t much older than Jack when he lost his beloved grandfather. It was a beautiful morning, a slight chill but warm underneath. The water was still and the fish were biting. They weren't the only ones out there; the season had just gotten into full swing. It was a big lake and they were smack in the middle of it, doing as men do. 

“So what do you wanna talk about?” Hotch asked.

“It’s kinda complicated.”

“That’s alright. We have all the time in the world to say what we want to say. Well, maybe not all the time but…” he sighed. There was no need to make the conversation depressing. “You can always tell me whatever you're thinking or feeling, Jack. I will always love you, support you, and try to answer your questions.”

“OK, well, if you're gonna marry Beth and Agent Emily is gonna marry Ambassador Steve does that mean you're not going to marry each other now?”

“Oh, um…”

Hotch didn’t see that one coming. To be sure, his kid could throw him some major curveballs. He’d gotten good at catching them over the years, or picking them up quickly when they hit the dirt. This one beaned him right in the head. How long was it going to take for him to shake it off and come up with an answer?

“I'm not marrying Beth.” He replied.

“Never?” Jack asked.

“Well I won't say never but we’re just getting to know each other Jack. I like her a lot. We have fun together and that makes me happy. I'm also really happy that you two are getting along so well. But marriage is something very serious and it takes time for two people to get to that place.”

“Plus you have to kiss all the time just like Aunt Jessie and Uncle Sam.” 

“Something like that.” Hotch smirked. “Do Agent Emily and Ambassador Steve kiss all the time?”

He didn’t want to admit that he was dying to know something about Emily’s new relationship. She had every right to her privacy and Hotch felt guilty pumping his son for information. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do it. Jack brought it up after all…he wanted to talk.

“No.” he shook his head. “But they hold hands and sometimes whisper things to each other. I can't hear them cuz they’re whispering. But she loves him.”

“How do you know?”

“She told him. Duh, Daddy. And he said he loved her too. So that means they’re gonna get married, right? Do you love Beth, Daddy?”

“If you think that saying I love you means people are going to get married Jack, did you think I loved Agent Emily?” Asking that question was much easier than answering the one on the table.

“I don't know.” Jack shrugged. “We all used to do stuff together and I thought she would be my new mommy. I wanted her to be. But she’d have to be married to you for her to be mommy. Right?”

“Yes.” Hotch nodded. “Agent Emily and I are just friends, buddy. We aren’t going to get married. But she will always be your friend. She loves you a whole lot.”

“I love her too. You love her too right Daddy?”

“I care for her deeply, yes.” Hotch smiled. 

“I like Beth too though. I don’t know if I want her to be my new Mommy yet but she’s funny. You laugh when she’s with us too. You laugh like you did before Mommy died.”

“I have to say that Beth is special to me. I'm sure that Agent Emily thinks her friend is special too. We’re happy for each other because that’s how friends are. They support each other when happy things come into their lives.”

“Can maybe Agent Emily and Beth both be my new Mommy?” Jack asked.

“I don’t think that’s possible, buddy. We’d have to cut you down the middle and I like you just the way you are.”

Hotch gave Jack’s belly a little tickle and the seven year old laughed. It was hard to hear him talking about new Mommy, as if you just went to a store and exchanged the old model. He knew Jack had been having a tough time since Haley died. He was braver than Hotch thought any kid needed to be. He saw how attached he was to Emily and at times it concerned him. 

Hotch would never see it as a bad thing…they needed each other. But as his relationship with Beth progressed and obviously her relationship with Stephen was doing the same, Jack probably wondered where he fit in. First there were two people and now suddenly there were four. How was Hotch supposed to answer all these questions in a way that would satisfy the neverending curiosity of his little boy?

“So what do I do, Daddy?”

“You can be friends with Beth and Agent Emily, Jack. We’ve got a great extended family; everyone loves you to bits. That’s easy since you're the greatest kid on the planet. If anything changes we’ll be sure to talk to you about it but I think for right now you should just enjoy the time you spend with all the people you love.”

“But Beth is your girlfriend now and not Agent Emily anymore, right?” Jack asked.

“Agent Emily was never my girlfriend but yes, Beth is my girlfriend.” Hotch replied as he cleared his throat. It was the first time he said it aloud. It was about time really.

“Well what's Agent Emily if she's not your girlfriend?”

“She's just my friend. She's my friend like Uncle Dave and Uncle Derek. I know it might be a little harder for you to understand because she’s a girl and I'm not but men and women can be friends Jack. Agent Emily and I are friends.”

“She's my best friend.” Jack smiled. “So I know girls and boys can be friends.”

“I know that she loves you a lot too. That’s not going to change because we’re in relationships with other people.”

“Do you promise?” 

“Cross my heart.” Hotch replied as he did it.

“OK, well…Daddy, I think a fish is pulling on my string!”

“Let’s see what we got.”

Hotch moved over in the boat, helping Jack get some control of the rod. He started reeling it in and it seemed to be a big one. Jack was so excited, laughing and whooping as they struggled with the behemoth. Finally Hotch got control and got it into the boat.

“Holy moly!” Jack exclaimed. “It’s a big one.”

“It sure is.” Hotch smiled. “Wow buddy, gimme a high five.”

Jack high fived his dad and then Hotch reached into his bag for the camera.

“You wanna take a picture with your catch?”

“Yeah.” Jack grabbed at the fish.

“Be careful, you have to grip him tight.”

“Eww, he's squirmy.” Jack was half laughing and half grossed out. 

Hotch took three pictures on his digital camera and then they put the fish in the cooler.

“I have to catch up with you and get my own fish.” He said.

“Jack 1, Daddy, 0.” He giggled.

“Something like that. Hey, I'm glad we talked buddy. I'm glad we’re here fishing.”

“We’re doing as men do.”

“Yes we are.” Hotch smiled and nodded.

“Maybe next time we can bring Beth. You think she’ll wanna do as men do?”

“She could have fun I think.”

“She won't wanna touch the worms and fish though. All the girls I know don’t like squirmy, gross stuff…except Agent Emily. She's awesome.”

“Some girls don’t mind squirmy, gross stuff. We’ll ask her and see what she says.”

“OK.” Jack nodded.

For awhile father and son were silent. The cold air was starting to burn away; it was going to be a gorgeous spring day. Hotch was surprised that he felt relief after the conversation with Jack. He was still a little boy but he was growing up fast…these kinds of questions would come at him more and more. Soon Hotch would sit down with Sam and Jessie to compare notes. 

He wondered if Jack had asked them anything about Beth or Emily. Jessie would normally tell Hotch things like that but maybe she didn’t want to upset or worry him. New things were happening in his life, in their lives; everyone needed time to adjust. It seemed like Jack was doing OK but Hotch wanted to keep an eye on him. He never stopped worrying. 

Close or far away, he wanted to make sure his son was going to be alright. Today he couldn’t help but smile at the happiness on Jack’s face. Fishing had been a good idea. They wouldn’t always get to spend this time together but Hotch wanted to make sure when Jack was older and looked back on this time, there were more good memories than bad ones. He didn’t know how that was possible but it was a goal he worked toward every single day.

“Hey Daddy?”

“Yeah, Jack?”

“I have another question.”

“I might even have an answer.”

“How can you tell a boy fish from a girl fish?” Jack asked.

“I think we might do some research when we get back to the cabin. Does that sound like fun?”

“Yeah. I'm having a lot of fun Daddy.”

“Me too Jack,” he rustled his son’s hair. “Me too.”

***


End file.
